KOCHI/KOTTAYAM: Police have arrested 23 persons, including a school manager at Erattupetta in Kottayam district, who organised Friday prayers.
They were arrested from Thanmaya school, said Erattupetta police.
In another incident, five persons, including a priest, were arrested for conducting a mass prayer in a Church at Kochi. Later they were released on bail.
The mass was conducted in St. Mary's church at Kakkattupara. Fr. T Varghese, who is the priest was arrested and later released, said Puthencruz police.
This comes at a time when the country is under a 21-day lockdown to prevent the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that there were 21 new coronavirus positive cases taking the total number in the state to 256.